Is Hunter X Hunter the next DBZ blow out?

[Xeztin]

Basically I'm asking if you guy's think the dubbed version of Hunter X Hunter will be what DBZ was to us back in the day, the next big thing. The show's just now getting it's dub which is very good in my opinion. Anyways, my nephew loves it (age 7) and he stays glued to the screen when HxH is on. When Dragon Ball Kai is on he just doesn't seem as interested unless they are fighting. He does however love the character designs, especially Cell's first form. I asked him which series he preferred more and he told me Hunter X Hunter. When I asked him why he doesn't like Kai as much, he stated they talked too much and it was boring. (Nearly gave me a heart attack) He knows the overall plot of the arc so far which is at the episode where Cell escaped from Piccolo. I thought it was just him, (because not everyone likes the show of course) and his friends around 7-8 who also watched both shows told me the exact same thing. They like DBZ but it is boring to them compared to HxH. I started to think of it as Kai being "Outdated" in terms of animation and art. They all loved BOG and ROF, I am curious to how they will react to a dubbed Super, but he and his little classmates seem all stuck on HXH. Those fortunate enough to be allowed to stay up on Saturdays seem like they watch DBZ to pass the time to get to HxH. Have any of you tried introducing a new generation to the show? His classmates seem all glued to the monsters, and the fishing pole Gon uses. Hmm, perhaps they would enjoy the original DB more than DBZ. I do think it's interesting at just a few episodes in HxH captured them, most of them were introduced by their older siblings.

[RedRibbonSoldier#42]

When I asked him why he doesn't like Kai as much, he stated they talked too much and it was boring.

Wait till they get to the monologue Chimera Ant arc.

Anyway, HxH is the Best Thing Ever, but toonami just isn't as popular as it was in the 90's and I don't think the ideal conditions that made Dragonball such a success will be repeated no matter how good a show is.

[Hellspawn28]

HxH does not have the same level of marketing as DBZ or AOT does so far. I hope more people will tune into it soon. I don't think the show will reach the same level as DBZ did when it comes to becoming popular. The only anime in recent history in the US that came close to that level is Attack on Titan.

[Chuquita]

I second the conditions no longer exist. High speed internet has fractured TV's ability to draw massive viewer counts. Too many things competing for people's attention in their spare time.

If this were 1999 and HXH was airing on weekday Toonami, sure it could probably rival Dragon Ball. 2016 and the era of smartphones and streaming and people unsubscribing from cable packages because of streaming makes it a lot more difficult to build a wide audience. Almost everything new and not nostalgic is niche now.

[FoolsGil]

Maybe. HxH is DBZ on acid-It's SO over the top with everything.

[Cure Dragon 255]

WOW XESTIN THAT'S SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME! No it REALLY IS!

I'm really glad Toonami REALLY is bringing anime to a new generation. I always know at least 450K or more Toonami viewers were children but this confirms it! And kids do stay up to what the anime they like. This bring me enormous joy!

...But I heard HXH gets REALLY NASTY later on. Like EXTREMELY un child friendly. But I'm not a moral guardian, so just let him watch as long as he has fun!

[RedRibbonSoldier#42]

Maybe. HxH is DBZ on acid-It's SO over the top with everything.

Huh? Hunter x Hunter is way more grounded than Dragonball. Db has aliens and galaxy busting laser beams. HxH has board meetings and auctions. The characters have to worry about silly mundane things like "distances" and "dying".

[RedRibbonSoldier#42]

WOW XESTIN THAT'S SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME! No it REALLY IS!

I'm really glad Toonami REALLY is bringing anime to a new generation. I always know at least 450K or more Toonami viewers were children but this confirms it! And kids do stay up to what the anime they like. This bring me enormous joy!

...But I heard HXH gets REALLY NASTY later on. Like EXTREMELY un child friendly. But I'm not a moral guardian, so just let him watch as long as he has fun!

Well, half of the characters are mass murderers, so there's that.

[Xeztin]

WOW XESTIN THAT'S SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME! No it REALLY IS!

I'm really glad Toonami REALLY is bringing anime to a new generation. I always know at least 450K or more Toonami viewers were children but this confirms it! And kids do stay up to what the anime they like. This bring me enormous joy!

...But I heard HXH gets REALLY NASTY later on. Like EXTREMELY un child friendly. But I'm not a moral guardian, so just let him watch as long as he has fun!

I introduced my nephew to DB Kai specifically, and he happened to stumble on HXH by accident (Since it airs right after Kai) and loved it. Turned out that he had seen Gon before and it turned out that one of his friends watched it with his older brother and now a good handful watch it. I think it's slowly becoming "the cool thing" there like DBZ was for us growing up. Even though his school is out for summer, I'm also glad that the younger generation is at least taking interest in anime in some form or fashion! Toonami would do a lot better if it started around 8pm because a lot of kids his age have a bed time way before 12. DVR's are their life savers

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

As someone who is now in a position to actually watch Toonami for the next couple of months, Hunter's coming at a perfect time for me. Presuming its not too far into ye wee hours... I like the pretense of sleep...

When I asked him why he doesn't like Kai as much, he stated they talked too much and it was boring. (Nearly gave me a heart attack)

Now that got me chuckling.

As far as our vested interest goes, I think "DBZ is good but HxH is better" is good enough; Toonami has always been a "Catch B while waiting for A" block, really. How much press do you reckon Sailor Moon got for coming before Dragon Ball Z?

...But I heard HXH gets REALLY NASTY later on. Like EXTREMELY un child friendly. But I'm not a moral guardian, so just let him watch as long as he has fun!

Well, half of the characters are mass murderers, so there's that.

I can't say I would screen anything with Togashi's name on it to seven year olds. But then by some metrics I am a moral guardian in the making.

[MozillaVulpix]

That's great that HxH is getting recognition, it's a really good story and a great adaptation. But I don't think it's going to be the same thing. Not as many children watch television nowadays. The market is incredibly different. And while HxH is streaming on Crunchyroll, I don't know if many kids know that site exists.

Also the fact that there isn't as much marketing. DBZ was TRYING to be the next big thing for kids. HxH has more of a niche audience.

Also...yeah. The show gets PRETTY dark later on. I hope the kids are prepared for that.

[RedRibbonSoldier#42]

That's great that HxH is getting recognition, it's a really good story and a great adaptation. But I don't think it's going to be the same thing. Not as many children watch television nowadays. The market is incredibly different. And while HxH is streaming on Crunchyroll, I don't know if many kids know that site exists.

Also the fact that there isn't as much marketing. DBZ was TRYING to be the next big thing for kids. HxH has more of a niche audience.

Also...yeah. The show gets PRETTY dark later on. I hope the kids are prepared for that.

It's dark from the beginning; it just plays it super casual. Think of all the dudes that Hisoka and Killua killed in the first arc.

[fadeddreams5]

I truly wonder if Kai's musical score has an influence on these kids' experience with the show. Even I tend to get bored because of it.

But yeah, HxH is awesome and I hope it becomes more popular. I doubt it'll reach a major height like DB or even Naruto, but I can always hope.

[Araki]

LOL, if he thinks people talk too much in Kai, he won't stick around with HxH for too long..

Anyway, it won't be the next DBZ, and i doubt anything will ever reach even Naruto status again, in a worldwide level. At least in the West, anime seems to have not enough mainstream reach to make a splash with kids anymore. It's being reduced to bad timeslots or online streams.

[Bansho64]

I truly wonder if Kai's musical score has an influence on these kids' experience with the show. Even I tend to get bored because of it.

Not at all. It's never been a problem with other countries. Many places where Dragon Ball is even bigger than it is here have the original score. I highly doubt that America is a special case where kids just happen to have a different response to music. Maybe it's the repitiveness of certain tracks being replayed but it's most certainly not Kikuchi himself.

[Xeztin]

I truly wonder if Kai's musical score has an influence on these kids' experience with the show. Even I tend to get bored because of it.

But yeah, HxH is awesome and I hope it becomes more popular. I doubt it'll reach a major height like DB or even Naruto, but I can always hope.

I think the score has a lot to do with it, it seems like to me DBZ's rock the dragon, BGM, that electric guitar and such has more of an influence over american kids. I do think it would be cool if Bruce done his own score for Super if there was another edition that kept the original Japanese track. Super, Super Kai? It's like rap and pop is the thing now instead of electric guitars, so you'd prob have a song by Lil Wayne for the opening if that was the case.
In all honesty... If it was a song about Dragon Ball, that might actually be pretty cool

[Hellspawn28]

At least Toonami will be airing at 11:30 now. I still wish more marketing for HxH will happen. I remember when Sword Art Online start airing in 2013 in the US, I started a lot of merchandise for it. Even Akame Ga Kill started to become more popular as the manga volumes have been selling pretty over here and I notice merchandise for it when I went to Hot Topic several months ago.

[Cure Dragon 255]

I bet you young un would still hate DBZ even with Faulconer, especially since DBZ has EVEN MORE TALKY FILLER. (The Caps are for emphasis not yelling). And with Kai already boring him, I doubt Faulconer would help.

But yeah! I love that your tot loves Toonami, so cute!

[fadeddreams5]

I truly wonder if Kai's musical score has an influence on these kids' experience with the show. Even I tend to get bored because of it.

Not at all. It's never been a problem with other countries. Many places where Dragon Ball is even bigger than it is here have the original score. I highly doubt that America is a special case where kids just happen to have a different response to music. Maybe it's the repitiveness of certain tracks being replayed but it's most certainly not Kikuchi himself.

I meant more due to the bad placement of his track in Kai. Not to mention, it's a new era. They watch an anime with old school animation and a soundtrack that sounds dated (through their perspective, of course), and then they see a modern anime an hour later that looks crisp and has a fun OST--it can make all the difference for a kid.

But that's just a hunch.

[Saikyo no Senshi]

I truly wonder if Kai's musical score has an influence on these kids' experience with the show.

Thats the one and only thing Kai did good IMO. Atleast now the kids especially in the US who grew up with Kai will appreciate the Kikuchi score more.

- Travis